Air Forces Africa officials take part in cultural training

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jim Fisher
  • 17th Air Force Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) --  Air Forces Africa's personnel directorate staff has been working with Air Force Culture and Language Center members at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in recent months to tailor a training program for people charged with building and maintaining relationships in Africa. 

AFCLC officials had the expertise to increase AFAFRICA's effectiveness, said Col. Catherine Chin, the A1 Director.

After she gave the center a rundown on the unit's mission in Africa, they brought a program to Ramstein Air Base March 22 through 26.

Because AFAFRICA is designed as a lean organization with no assigned forces, the Colonel said, expertise is at a premium. Though AFAFRICA officials do request personnel through the global force management system, members from AFAFRICA's Ramstein AB headquarters are doing a lot of the direct engagement with African partners.

"We are a learning organization, and it is essential that we build a staff that knows Africa, and can pass this info along to our deployers throughout the Air Force," Colonel Chin said. "In order to succeed in building relationships in Africa, it is essential that we understand the cultures of the people we are partnering with. First and foremost, it's a matter of respect and consideration toward our hosts; but it's also a matter of effectiveness."

The end result was a week-long session of culture and language training. 

"The training included a culture general piece which helps members understand the principles of culture and gives them general skills that can be transferred and built upon for specific regions or countries," said Hank Finn, the AFCLC director of Expeditionary Skills Training.

The more specific aspects included cross-cultural communication, building cross-cultural relations and cross-cultural negotiations. For a specific group of Airmen, 30 hours of French immersion was also part of the program.

The training was valuable for engaging with partners in Africa and beyond, said Maj. Demetrius Mizell of AFAFRICA's plans directorate.

"I found the cultural diversity lessons and French immersion classes to be extremely beneficial," the major said. "The information taught in the building cross-cultural relations, cultural negotiation and cultural mediation sessions have given me a greater understanding of how to foster stronger relationships with our interagency, joint, and especially our African partners."

Tech. Sgt. Heather Campbell, AFAFRICA Protocol NCOIC, gave an equally strong endorsement to the French immersion.

"I went from not having French skills to now being able to communicate in very basic French, and if I wish to pursue the language on my own further, I can easily do so," Sergeant Campbell said.

Moreover, she now has the fundamentals and confidence to communicate basic information in a contingency.

"I could deal with an emergency situation," Sergeant Campbell said. "The class also received a small French handbook with basic terms such as food, language, travel, etc. So if I get stuck and don't happen to remember a term, I could look it up quickly in the handbook."

The language course was taught by Tariq Khaitous, an associate professor at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif. He said students understood the training's relevance to their mission.

"The students were very interested and eager to learn," Mr. Khaitous said. "These students are part of Air Forces Africa and they know French language is part of their job; they know it will help them in Africa."

AFAFRICA and AFCLC are currently working on the next blocks of training, which officials hope to conduct in the coming months. This will include a week-long session for the 110th Air Operations Group at Battle Creek, Mich., AFAFRICA's partner organization in the Air National Guard.

Expanded French immersion is also in the works, Colonel Chin said. "These courses are building blocks that will deepen our cultural understanding and help us form lasting relationships in Africa."